Nathan tensed beside me, but my eyes remained on Andrew, and I watched his flicker beside me to Nathan. His gaze hardened, but he kept the smile plastered on his face.
“Well, now that everyone knows Andrew and Delilah are acquainted…” Jack chuckled. “Let’s get back to work.”
With a clap of his hands, the mass dispersed to their separate sections of the office.
Just as I was making my way through the doorway, a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. The sudden halt caused Nathan to crash into me. Andrew’s strong arms wrapped around me and lifted me into the air, then back down for a hug. My eyes widened before I began laughing.
Nathan shot us an icy glare before continuing down the hall, and for some reason I found the sight hysterical. It made me laugh more, but everyone thought it was due to Andrew’s antics. The exchange had been so quick; I figured no one had picked up on the cold undercurrent.
“Something about that guy rubs me the wrong way,” Andrew said out of nowhere.
“He’s harmless,” I assured him. “By the way…what the hell are you doing here, and why didn’t you tell me?”
A sheepish grin spread on his face. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Well, it worked.”
“I hope you don’t mind.”
I gave him a knowing look. “Andrew, I know you loved working at Holloway and Holloway as much as Caroline and I did when we all interned together. You just chose the dark side.”
“Well, I came back to become a real Jedi.”
“Welcome back, Anakin,” I said with a smile. “Well, I have a mountain and a half waiting for me.”
I turned to head out the door when his voice stopped me.
“What was the name of that bar by your place? Skips? Tips?”
“Nipps,” I responded.
“Later, Lila.”
I waved back and headed in the direction of my office. Once there, the tension was rolling off Nathan, permeating our space. He didn’t say anything for over an hour, and I could no longer stand the tension. I sent him a text hoping it would cure his foul mood.
So, what was that about punishment? I’d like to hear more about that.
He smirked at the message, and his shoulders dropped and relaxed.
The remainder of the day went off without a hitch as did the next day. Andrew was nowhere to be seen on Friday, his first official day, and I was thankful.
CHAPTER 12
“What’s this?” Nathan asked as I handed him the jagged piece of metal.
“It’s a key to my condo.”
“I don’t want it.” He thrust his hand back toward me.
“Take the damn key,” I said. We stood at a standstill, neither backing down. “Look, my neighbor is getting annoyed at the late night knocking, and we haven’t spent a night apart in three weeks.”
He contemplated my words for a moment, the warring indecision etched onto his features before he conceded. “Fine.” Pulling his keys from his pocket he twisted the metal piece on to the key ring.
“Here,” he said, holding his hand out to me.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“If I can molest you at all hours of the night at my will, you should be able to return the favor.” He smirked as he placed his key in my open palm.
The next day, I yawned and rotated my shoulders, attempting to relieve some of the ache. I should have known not to tease Nathan; he’d made sure to prolong his own release to torment me.
The day was over and as soon as I entered my condo, I stripped out of my suit and into a sun dress with a shrug. It was a nice spring day, the temperature reaching into the mid-sixties, and I was excited for the coming warmth of summer. I located a pair of strappy sandals hiding in a corner of my closet before heading out the door and up to Nathan’s to pick him up.
I told myself it was to pick him up, as if it was a date, something planned, but once again it was an unspoken thing we did together. I opened the door with my key and walked in.
It had been a difficult trade off, but in the end was a great idea. I felt safer not leaving my door unlocked, as did Nathan, and it came in handy when once, after a night of drinking, I realized I didn’t have my keys with me.
I walked in and called out, my voice echoing on the empty walls and near vacant rooms. I sighed. Again, another reminder. He didn’t care about furniture or decorations; his condo held the bare minimum. The only things on the walls were holes; he was up to seventeen, one more since yesterday. I told him he needed to get a punching bag; it was cheaper than drywall replacement.
I found him out on the terrace sitting on one of the lounge chairs, a cigarette between his lips. His leg was bouncing at near sonic speed, his fingers pulling at his hair. He screamed of nervous agitation, and I cried inside knowing the cause.
I walked forward and sat down next to him. “I didn’t know you smoked.”
His head tilted to me in acknowledgement as he took a long drag.
“Sometimes,” he admitted as he released the smoke from his lungs.
“It bothers you that much…my feelings?” Brutal honesty wasn’t our thing, but I wanted him to tell me.
“Yes,” he responded after a moment. “I don’t want you to feel that way.”
I nodded in understanding. I hated it, but I had hoped he would open up to me.
After taking a deep breath, I sat down next to him and grabbed his arm. My thumb massaged the surgical scar on the inside of his wrist as I pulled his hand to me, and took a drag of his cigarette. It burned, but sparked an old craving. He was watching me in intense fascination.
“What?”
“I don’t like the way he looks at you.”
I was stunned at his declaration; it had a possessive edge about it.
“And?” I pressed.
His face twisted for a moment before a cocky smile presented itself. His hand moved between my thighs and grabbed my pu**y, his fingers pushing the thin cotton of my panties against my opening.
“For me only,” he snarled.
I shook my head and huffed. “You are such a f**king contradiction.”
“What?”
“I wish I knew what was going on in that head of yours sometimes.”
He shook his head as he leaned down to put the cigarette out on the concrete. “No, you don’t. It’s dark in here.” He tapped on his skull.
With that, he stood. After offering me a hand up, we headed out to Nipps for our Friday relaxation.
“Well, now that everyone knows Andrew and Delilah are acquainted…” Jack chuckled. “Let’s get back to work.”
With a clap of his hands, the mass dispersed to their separate sections of the office.
Just as I was making my way through the doorway, a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. The sudden halt caused Nathan to crash into me. Andrew’s strong arms wrapped around me and lifted me into the air, then back down for a hug. My eyes widened before I began laughing.
Nathan shot us an icy glare before continuing down the hall, and for some reason I found the sight hysterical. It made me laugh more, but everyone thought it was due to Andrew’s antics. The exchange had been so quick; I figured no one had picked up on the cold undercurrent.
“Something about that guy rubs me the wrong way,” Andrew said out of nowhere.
“He’s harmless,” I assured him. “By the way…what the hell are you doing here, and why didn’t you tell me?”
A sheepish grin spread on his face. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Well, it worked.”
“I hope you don’t mind.”
I gave him a knowing look. “Andrew, I know you loved working at Holloway and Holloway as much as Caroline and I did when we all interned together. You just chose the dark side.”
“Well, I came back to become a real Jedi.”
“Welcome back, Anakin,” I said with a smile. “Well, I have a mountain and a half waiting for me.”
I turned to head out the door when his voice stopped me.
“What was the name of that bar by your place? Skips? Tips?”
“Nipps,” I responded.
“Later, Lila.”
I waved back and headed in the direction of my office. Once there, the tension was rolling off Nathan, permeating our space. He didn’t say anything for over an hour, and I could no longer stand the tension. I sent him a text hoping it would cure his foul mood.
So, what was that about punishment? I’d like to hear more about that.
He smirked at the message, and his shoulders dropped and relaxed.
The remainder of the day went off without a hitch as did the next day. Andrew was nowhere to be seen on Friday, his first official day, and I was thankful.
CHAPTER 12
“What’s this?” Nathan asked as I handed him the jagged piece of metal.
“It’s a key to my condo.”
“I don’t want it.” He thrust his hand back toward me.
“Take the damn key,” I said. We stood at a standstill, neither backing down. “Look, my neighbor is getting annoyed at the late night knocking, and we haven’t spent a night apart in three weeks.”
He contemplated my words for a moment, the warring indecision etched onto his features before he conceded. “Fine.” Pulling his keys from his pocket he twisted the metal piece on to the key ring.
“Here,” he said, holding his hand out to me.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“If I can molest you at all hours of the night at my will, you should be able to return the favor.” He smirked as he placed his key in my open palm.
The next day, I yawned and rotated my shoulders, attempting to relieve some of the ache. I should have known not to tease Nathan; he’d made sure to prolong his own release to torment me.
The day was over and as soon as I entered my condo, I stripped out of my suit and into a sun dress with a shrug. It was a nice spring day, the temperature reaching into the mid-sixties, and I was excited for the coming warmth of summer. I located a pair of strappy sandals hiding in a corner of my closet before heading out the door and up to Nathan’s to pick him up.
I told myself it was to pick him up, as if it was a date, something planned, but once again it was an unspoken thing we did together. I opened the door with my key and walked in.
It had been a difficult trade off, but in the end was a great idea. I felt safer not leaving my door unlocked, as did Nathan, and it came in handy when once, after a night of drinking, I realized I didn’t have my keys with me.
I walked in and called out, my voice echoing on the empty walls and near vacant rooms. I sighed. Again, another reminder. He didn’t care about furniture or decorations; his condo held the bare minimum. The only things on the walls were holes; he was up to seventeen, one more since yesterday. I told him he needed to get a punching bag; it was cheaper than drywall replacement.
I found him out on the terrace sitting on one of the lounge chairs, a cigarette between his lips. His leg was bouncing at near sonic speed, his fingers pulling at his hair. He screamed of nervous agitation, and I cried inside knowing the cause.
I walked forward and sat down next to him. “I didn’t know you smoked.”
His head tilted to me in acknowledgement as he took a long drag.
“Sometimes,” he admitted as he released the smoke from his lungs.
“It bothers you that much…my feelings?” Brutal honesty wasn’t our thing, but I wanted him to tell me.
“Yes,” he responded after a moment. “I don’t want you to feel that way.”
I nodded in understanding. I hated it, but I had hoped he would open up to me.
After taking a deep breath, I sat down next to him and grabbed his arm. My thumb massaged the surgical scar on the inside of his wrist as I pulled his hand to me, and took a drag of his cigarette. It burned, but sparked an old craving. He was watching me in intense fascination.
“What?”
“I don’t like the way he looks at you.”
I was stunned at his declaration; it had a possessive edge about it.
“And?” I pressed.
His face twisted for a moment before a cocky smile presented itself. His hand moved between my thighs and grabbed my pu**y, his fingers pushing the thin cotton of my panties against my opening.
“For me only,” he snarled.
I shook my head and huffed. “You are such a f**king contradiction.”
“What?”
“I wish I knew what was going on in that head of yours sometimes.”
He shook his head as he leaned down to put the cigarette out on the concrete. “No, you don’t. It’s dark in here.” He tapped on his skull.
With that, he stood. After offering me a hand up, we headed out to Nipps for our Friday relaxation.
